5 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Montreal, Quebec

For a true Québécois treat, stop by this rustic cabin for breakfast or lunch. Founded in 1945, it's a big draw with tourists and locals alike. Meat pies, maple-smoked ham, egg dishes, homemade chutneys, and the restaurant's famous country bread (also homemade) are all on the menu. The gift shop at the front sells many of its popular dishes—and you will want to take some home.

Wonderful homemade pastries such as pear-and-almond tarts, lemon-curd doughnuts, and chai scones have brought renown to this little place (only 11 seats), but there's more to it than that. Breakfast and lunch are always busy, and weekend brunch, served until 2 pm, brings a line out the door. Favorite dishes include the Dutch baby pancake topped with aged cheddar, pork belly, and maple syrup, and potatoes in brown butter. For lunch, try the paninis, soups, and salads. Note that Edgar may close for a week or more in summer.

Five minutes from the ski slopes and right on Lac Moore, this rustic restaurant, which opens onto a terrace during the summer months, looks a bit shabby from the outside but has garnered much praise for its Italian dishes. These include tried-and-true favorites such as veal marsala and veal fiorentina (cooked with spinach and cheese). Hosts Nino and Kay are reputed to be some of the friendliest folks you'll ever meet.

If you're looking for elegant dining keep on going, but if you're after a bit of local color, a cold beer, a good burger, a steamie (hot dog), or maybe a sample of Québec's famed poutine, then La Belle Bédaine (which translates as "the happy belly") is just the place. Its good and basic menu comes with a terrace overlooking the river.